Lupulus, Hops

Lupulus salictarius, Lupulus reptitius, Volubilis, Humulus, Habiola
 Picture
Picture Gart der Gesundheit, Cuba, 1485

Picture Herbarius latinus, Petri, 1485

 Picture Ortus Sanitatis, Meydenbach, 1491
Picture Krauterbuch, Lonitzer, 1578

Picture Botanische wandplaten, 1904–1914

Picture Koehler’s Medizinal Pflanzen, 1887

Botanical name:


Humulus lupulus

Parts used:


Flower
Lupulin is the powder from the glandular hairs of hop flowers. It is used similarly, but is stronger.

Temperature & Taste:


Cool (Warm in the west), dry. Bitter

Classifications:


2A APERIENT
TCM:
B. Clears Deficient Heat

Uses:


1. Clears Damp-Heat, Opens Obstructions:
-Indigestion, Stomach weakness
–loss of appetite as a result of chronic gastric catarrh
-Jaundice, Biliousness, pain or distention of the Hypochondria
-strangury, dysuria, Gravel, Stones

2. Clears Heat, Calms the Mind and Nerves:
-Insomnia, restlessness, nervous tension, stress, anxiety and worry (especially with indigestion)
-induces sleep.
–Headache, Hysteria, Nervousness, Melancholy, Fits, Delirium and Neuralgia

3. Clears Heat from the Blood, Resists Poison:
-‘Cleanses the Blood’ (Culpeper)
–‘drive forth yellow and choleric humors, and purge the blood from all filthyness’
-Eczema, Eruptions, Spreading Sores, Itching, skin discoloration
-Pneumonia, Lung Abscess, Tuberculosis
-Scrofula; Leprosy; Venereal diseases including Gonorrhea
–‘The decoction of the flowers and Hops, do help to expel Poison that any one drank’.

4. Clears Deficient Heat:
–Excessive Sexual Desire, Premature Ejaculation and Spermatorrhea
-Chronic Fever; ‘Profitable against long lingering Agues’. (Gerard)
-Low-Grade Fevers, Night-sweats
-Menopausal symptoms with irritability, flushes

5. Promotes Menstruation:
-Amenorrhea, Dysmenorrhea
-PMS, Menopausal symptoms

6. Promotes Milk

7. Externally:
-relieves Pain and Inflammation
-externally eases Pain, cures Contusions, Dislocations and Tumors
-poultice applied to Boils, skin infections, Swellings, Tumors
-ointment is used for the pain of Cancer (Pharmacopee Usuelle, Louvain, 1821)
-wash for Dandruff
-in douches for Uterine prolapse


Dose:


Decoction: 3–6 grams

Correctives:


Oregano

Substitutes:


1. Fumitory
2. Kidney bean
3. Water Melon seed kernal

Main Combinations:


Hops & Fumitory

1. Hops is often combined with Fumitory (as in Syrup of Fumitory) to open Obstructions of the Liver and Spleen, and to clear Heat, Bile and toxin from the Blood:
i. Skin diseases, Eczema, Psoriasis from heat of the Blood add Bugloss, Endive, Chicory, Raisin, Licorice (as in Decoction of Fumitory of Andernacus)
ii. Eczema, Psoriasis, Acne, Syphilis, Leprosy add Chicory, Borage, Yellow Myrobalan, Black Myrobalan, Raisin, Tamarind (as in Decoction of Fumitory of Mesue)
iii. Skin diseases from Melancholy, with Endive, Wormwood, Dodder (as in Syrup of Fumitory Compound)
2. Restless, irritability, insomnia, Hops with Balm and Valerian
3. Insomnia:
i. Hops with Camomile
ii. Hops with Valerian, Betony, Lavender, St. Johns wort
4. Visceral pain, Hops has been combined with Cannabis and Valerian
5. Excess Sweating,
i. Hops with Sage
ii. Hops with Nettle, Strawberry leaf, Walnut leaf
6. Amenorrhea, Dysmenorrhea:
i. Hops with Pennyroyal, Camomile
ii. Hops with Valerian, Yarrow
7. Anaphrodisiac, Hops with Valerian (Kroeber)
8. For Stomach weakness and Indigestion:
i. Hops with Calamus (Sobernheim, 1840)
ii. Hops with Centaury, Menyanthes, Horehound and Balm (Dinand)
9. Migraine associated with suppressed menstruation, Hops with Cannabis (Huguier)
10. Edema, Hops, Squill, Galangal, Juniper (Sobernheim, 1840)
11. Tuberculsosis, Hops, Rue, Dry Fig decocted with Honey added. (The Secrets of Alexis, 1615)
12. Scrofula, Hops, Dandelion, Calamus
13. Prolapsed Uterus, use a douche of Hops, Peach leaf and Soloman’s Seal
14. Trauma, Bruising Hops with Wormwood, Horehound (as in Ointment for Trauma)
15. Fomentation: Hops, Camomile, Lavender, Rosemary
16. Planche’s Cancer Ointment: Lupulin (1 oz.), Lard (3 oz.). Heat in a water bath to form an ointment. Used primarily for the severe pain.

Major Formulas


Decoction of Fruit
Decoction of Fruit and Flowers
Decoction of Fumitory of Mesue
Decoction of Fumitory of Andernacus
Syrup of Fumitory
Byzantine Syrup-Simple & Compound (Mesue)
Triphera Persica (Mesue)

Cautions:


1. Generally not used during Pregnancy.
2. Not suitable for Depression associated with nervous debility.

Main Preparations used:


Distilled Water of the Flowers, Syrup of the Juice (with Fumitory juice)

1. Ointment of Hops:
i. Hops (2 oz.), Lard (10 oz.). Digest in a moderate heat for several hours, express. (Pharmacopee Usuelle, Louvain, 1821)